Healthy Cooking Thursday – Quick Maple Dijon Slaw

Cruciferous vegetables are reaaaaaalllly good for you. Most experts recommend eating at least one serving of cruciferous veg per day, which is the minimum we serve at our healthy weight loss spa. They are lauded for cancer-fighting properties as well as awesome vitamins and minerals like C, A, and even calcium. So what is a cruciferous veggie, you ask? Anything in the family with cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, brussels sprouts, kale… I think you get the idea.

Today I would like to suggest my friend Napa Cabbage to you. A member of this wonderful cruciferous family, Napa (sometimes called “celery cabbage” or “Chinese cabbage”, but very different from Bok Choi, which is also sometimes called “Chinese cabbage”) lies in a wonderful purgatory somewhere between lettuce and cabbage, as far as flavor and texture goes. Crisp and refreshing with a gentle cabbage flavor, Napa is wonderful in stir-fry and is always my choice for same-day slaws. Unlike conventional cabbage, Napa needs only about an hour in a dressing to be a perfect salad, and will not be nearly as awesome the following day. This slaw could be made with conventional cabbage if it had time to sit overnight, but I’m well aware our readers can’t afford that luxury all the time. Use Napa for an instant taste sensation instead.